The Pontiac has been the backdrop for many ghost stories throughout the years. Kids would sit around campfires with grandparents, aunts and uncles telling tales of the past.
Some of them ring true while others will always be legends and myths. The beauty of a ghost story is everyone has one, and for the first time, the stories of the Pontiac were shared with visitors outside the area.
As a region known for its mysterious and unexplained phenomena, it made an excellent setting for a haunted tour. With so much to offer the Pontiac brought in history buffs and folks seeking adventure to explore and learn about the region.
Greg Graham, operator of Coronation Hall, and Brandon Bolduc, owner of Aventure Outaouais an all-inclusive tour guide operating company decided to collaborate. As a content creator Bolduc has always showcased the area and shared his experience with his many followers. After doing it for so long in 2021 he decided to start his own business organizing outdoor adventures such as wine tours, park tours and customizable ones.
His goal in creating his company was to share his knowledge with folks, promote responsible ecotourism, support local producers and businesses, as well highlight the beauty and charm of the region. “I’ve been able to just fall in love and know where to go and what to show,” said Bolduc.
“All my tours are really a collaboration a partnership with the people and locals we pay for all places we go to because we want to support them. Everything about Aventure Outaouais is about community building local development, supporting local businesses and ideas and promoting the region, but in a partnership way,” said Bolduc.
The pair collaborated after the summer tours ended. Seeing what that sort of tourism did to the businesses in the area over the summer, Graham wanted to keep that flow of visitors but wasn’t sure how.
Inspired by ghost stories and Halloween Graham suggested a Pontiac haunted tour and Bolduc jumped at the idea.
“The great thing about ghost stories is everybody usually has one,” said Graham.
In the weeks following, the two brainstormed ideas and rather than spending the tour traveling across the Pontiac, they decided to tell Pontiac stories and built the tour around locations anchored in Bristol allowing people to enjoy this corner of the Pontiac.
“It’s just more people coming to the area. Because the problem with being in the Pontiac is people can only visit you if they have a car. But these people don’t have to drive somebody else is driving them,” said Graham.
Being the storyteller only made sense due to Grahams love of community theatre and he’s a history buff himself. He did admit it was a lot of work but well worth it as every night the crowd was engaged and fun to be around. Unlike a haunted house this tour had nothing jumping at you but the stories along with the eeriness of the night and the different locations made for hair-raising moments.
Graham does a retelling of the stories as best as he knows and from gathering information from the archives but also from what he’s heard from locals while adding a little flair and some embellishments for the sake of entertainment.
“Part of the reason I wanted to do this is I heard through the grapevine about a ghost tour in Gatineau Park, and they mentioned the Dagg Haunting and I thought ‘that’s our story that’s part of our heritage, not theirs, what in the world,’” he said. “So I said we need to tell that story here.”
The tour included four stops, Haughton Bay, Starborn Farms built in the 1800, Pine Lodge built in the 1920s and Coronation Hall Cider Mills in 1936. One story rooted in history is the Jean Cadieux story which is told on the tour right next to the Ottawa River.
Part of the story is told on the beach and the other on a boat on the Haughton Bay property. Another great location was Starborn property where the stories were told in the barn, the basement and in what once was a cemetery, and as legend may have it the stones are gone but the bodies still lay beneath the ground.
“What’s unique about this tour is the fact that we’re really going local. We’re going to people’s homes and they’re so happy to see us it’s crazy to see the pride here in the community to see, something happening here in Bristol, and hopefully for the next couple of years. It’s gonna just get bigger and bigger,” said Bolduc.
Graham’s favourite part about being part of the tour is the scenery and being able to share the stories he grew up on. For one of the stories, the group is standing in front of Coronation Hall right by the bushes as Graham tells the story of the Windigo, a creature that lurks in the forest, which made for a spooky finish to the tour.
The tour lasted about two hours, and although it was a chilly night the group was just as eager for every stop. And to wrap it up they enjoyed Graham’s family pie paired with hot cider. “It never hurts to try things with people when they come. Every now and then you come across a real gem and I think Brandon’s company is a real gem. He does a great job.”
When Bolduc was asked why the Pontiac he said: “I think there’s an element of history that people really love and in turn that’s really attractive to tourists. So I love bringing people here, I love showcasing it, I really like to put it on a map.”
Next year they might organize another tour and explore new or similar locations because all the tour days were sold out and with that, they hope to continue to bring it back. Graham explained he’s also interested in doing something during the Christmas holiday, and said “If he’s game I’m game.”
